| "PTSD" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 10.09 | → |
| Production number: 10009 First aired (US): 2 December 2008 First aired (AUS): 1 April 2009 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Judith McCreary Directed By Eriq La Salle | ||
Detective Benson struggles with the trauma from her sexual assault as she tries to find the man who murdered a pregnant female U.S. Marine.
Summary[]
SVU clashes with the U.S. Marine Corps over jurisdiction in a case involving the murder in New York of a pregnant soldier, Jessica Crewes, who claimed she was raped in Iraq. During the investigation, Benson has traumatic flashbacks of her sexual assault.
Plot[]
At the end, Benson approaches Pruitt and apologizes for treating him so badly through the case. However, Pruitt forgives her and reveals he is not angry with her, because she did her job and got justice for Jessie. Benson reveals her attempted rape and he understands while telling her to stop kicking herself and it will take time for her to heal. When he leaves to catch his train, Olivia tells him to be careful and he says, "I'm a Marine. It's what we do".
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler (credit only)
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Sergeant John Munch
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
- Michaela McManus as A.D.A. Kim Greylek
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang (credit only)
- Tamara Tunie as M.E. Melinda Warner
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring cast[]
Guest cast[]
- Ryan Kwanten as Master Sergent Dominic Pruitt
- Dominic Fumusa as Lieutenant Gary Rosten
- Amy Spanger as Marlene Rosten
- Rosa Arredondo as Rochelle Rodriguez
- Karen Mason as Mrs. Crewes
- Jay Patterson as Lieutenant James Reed
- Brooke Adams as Margo
- Frank Whaley as Navy Commander Grant Marcus
- Jim Coope as Landlord
- Robert C. Kirk as General Bolanger
- Chris McGinn as Attendant
- Laura Anderson as Kayla
References[]
- Connecticut
- Iraq
- United States Marine Corps
- Absent Without Official Leave
- Judge Advocate General
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Quotes[]
- Benson: Would you have killed him?
- Dominic Pruitt: Would you have shot me?
- Benson: I can't answer that, and you deserve to know why... I was sexually assaulted six months ago.
- Dominic Pruitt: Quit kicking yourself.
- Benson: That's easy to say, and hard to do.
- Dominic Pruitt: It takes practice. You'll get there.
- Tutuola: (to Olivia): What's our next move?
- Benson: Talk to one of the patients from Jessie's support group.
- Tutuola: The shrink won't tell you about the rape. What makes you think she's going to give up her patient list?
- Benson: I don't need it. I already know who to talk to.
- Tutuola: Does anyone else know you're in therapy?
- Benson: No.
- Tutuola: Then they won't hear it from me.
- [When Olivia is about to interrogate Pruitt, but Fin stops her]
- Tutuola: That's not going to happen. I can't let you question the suspect.
- Benson: I'm fine, Fin.
- Tutuola: You held your gun to the back of a man's head. Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?
- Benson: You reported me?
- Tutuola: No. I'm talking about you getting your head together.
- Benson: I am working on it.
- Tutuola: Are you? It seems like you even have issues with your shrink. You need to talk to someone.
- Benson: The only person that I am interested in talking to is the man that raped and killed Jessica Crewes. We need to find that baby.
- Tutuola: If I let you do this, I'm sitting in.
- Benson: Look, I'm okay.
- Tutuola: No, no, no. It's either me or it's Cragen. You choose.
- Tutuola: I get you not wanting people to know that you're in therapy.
- Benson: Yeah, well, I may not have a choice.
- Tutuola: As long as you work at it, the flashbacks will go away. Did for me.
- Benson: You found the baby. He never had a chance, did he?
- Cragen: Warner said he was probably dead before he hit the water. She didn't find any fluid in his lungs.
- Benson: Well, that's comforting. I'll let the grandmother know. Maybe she can stitch it on a pillow.
- Cragen: Olivia. I want you to take some personal time off.
- Benson: Why?
- Cragen: You know why. Just do it.
- Benson: Is that an order, Captain?
- Cragen: No. If it was, I'd have to make a notation in your jacket.
- Benson: How much time should I take off?
- Cragen: As much as you need.
Background information and notes[]
- Benson mentions being assaulted months prior which happened in the episode "Undercover".
- Fin mentions being an Army Ranger before joining the NYPD. It is mentioned again in the episodes "Military Justice" and "No Surrender". He also alludes to having flashbacks from his service.
- Greylek tries to get Dominic Pruitt tried through the New York court to ensure he doesn't get the death penalty. This is a contrast to a few years ago when ADA Alexandra Cabot gets Darryl Kern extradited out of Canada and back to New York to ensure he got the death penalty in the episode "Manhunt".
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|
|
New York |
Rape Counseling Center |
Construction Site |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|
|
Judge Advocate General's |
Apartment Building of |
Article 32 Hearing |
| Previous episode: "Persona" |
"PTSD" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 10 |
Next episode: "Smut" |